Missouri voters weighing arguments for, against proposed Medicaid expansion

Money is a hot-button issue in the debate over the proposed constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid in Missouri, which is Amendment 2 on the Aug.

4 ballot.

MISSOURI VOTERS ARE INTHE MIDDLE OF AMEDICAID EXPANSION ,"TUG OF WAR"PRO EXPANSION ANDTHOSE AGAINST IT --- ARERAMPING UP THEIRMESSAGES , APPEALINGTO VOTERS AS THEAUGUST 4TH ELECTIONGETS CLOSER.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHOR,CYNTHIA NEWSOMEREPORTS, OPPOSINGSIDES DO AGREE - THEMEDICAID EXPANSIONPROPOSAL IS A DEFININGMOMENT FOR MISSOURI.MONEY IS A KEY HOT-BUTTON ISSUE IN THEDEBATE OVER THEPROPOSEDCONSTITUTIONALAMENDMENT TO EXPANDMEDICAID IN MISSOURI.THERE IS NO ARGUMENTTHAT MEDICAID EXPANSIONIN MISSOURI WOULD MEANA MASSIVE JUMP INFEDERAL DOLLARSROLLING INTO THE STATE.THE FEDERAL MATCH FORMEDICAID WOULD JUMPFROM 65-PERCENT TO90-PERCENTA MORE THAN $1 BILLIONDOLLAR-A-YEAR WINDFALLFOR MISSOURI ANDMISSOURI'S MEDICAIDCOSTS WOULD --- DROPFROM 35% TO 10PERCENT.THE MISSOURIFOUNDATION FOR HEALTH,CALLS MEDICAIDEXPANSION -- A WIN."It's funded by bringing taxdollars we've already paid,back to Missouri.

Medicaidexpansion for Missouri justmakes sense."BUT IT DOESN'T MAKESENSE TO MISSOURISTATE SENATOR BOBONDER.... WHO IS ALSO APRACTICING PHYSICIAN.STATE SEN.

Bob Onder //STATE CHARLES COUNTY"The average state that hasexpanded Medicaid underObama Care has seen abouta 156% overrun in theiroriginal estimates and that'slikely to be worse in Missouriwith the state of theeconomy."AN ECONOMY ROCKED BYTHE CORONAVIRUS.500,000 MISSOURIANSFILED FORUNEMPLOYMENT SINCETHE COVID-19 OUTBREAK.THE "VOTE YES ON 2,HEALTHCARE FORMISSOURI CAMPAIGN ISENDORSED BY MORETHAN 200 MEDICAL,BUSINESS, LABOR ANDNON PROFITORGANIZATIONS .

THEYCOUNTERED CLAIMS OFCOST-OVERRUNS BYQUOTING FROM A2019 WASHINGTONUNIVERSITY STUDY.Jack Cardetti, Healthcare forMissouri Campaign"What it showed was by theyear 2024 in Missouri, if wecan expand Medicaid byapproving amendment 2, it'llsave us 932 million dollars.Those are savings quitefrankly in this economy areneeded now more than ever.

"STATE SEN.

Bob Onder //STATE CHARLES COUNTY"Already Governor Parson hashad to do withholds to cutitems out of the state budgettwice this year and it's goingto get even worse if we do theirresponsible thing and expanda program that alreadyaccounts for one-third of ourbudget in Missouri."RIGHT NOW, SINGLEADULTS DO NOT QUALIFYFOR MEDICAID IN MISSOURI..AND A FAMILY OF 4 MUSTEARN LESS THAN 55-HUNDRED DOLLARS AYEAR.MEDICAID EXPANSIONWOULD MEAN SINGLEADULTS EARNING UP TO$18,000 A YEAR WOULD BEELIGIBLE.AN ESTIMATED 230,000MISSOURIANS WOULDQUALIFY FOR MEDICAID IFEXPANSION IS APPROVED.SUPPORTERS ALSO CLAIMIT COULD CREATE 16-THOUSAND JOBS INMISSOURI.

BUT GOVERNORPARSON HAS A QUESTIONFOR VOTERS.Gov.

Mike Parson //MISSOURI"Can you afford it or what doyou want to give up becausethat 175 or 250million or the300 million whatever it'sgoing to be will have to comefrom other programs."IF VOTERS APPROVEMEDICAID EXPANSION,GOVERNOR PARSON SAIDIT'S POSSIBLE BUDGETSFOR EDUCATION, ANDROADS AND BRIDGESWOULD HAVE TO BE CUTTO MAKE SURE MEDICAIDEXPANSION IS FULLYFUNDED.CYNTHIA NEWSOME 41ACTION NEWS.THIS KAISER FAMILYFOUNDATION MAP SHOWS-- 38 STATES ANDWASHINGTON D.C.

HAVEADOPTED MEDICAIDEXPANSION.THE MISSOURI STATECHAMBER OF COMMMERCEAND LABOR UNIONS WANTMISSOURI TO BE